How RG celebrated our 'We Are Human' value this holiday season

As many of us start winding down for the festive season, we want to highlight the efforts of our People around the globe to live our We Are Human Value.

We Are Human is a value close to many of our hearts. It teaches us to be kind in our interactions and look to help others even if it isn’t related to our jobs. Like all our values, this approach to how we behave and what we believe shapes our culture and ultimately helps us in our Mission. 

Our 'We Are Human' celebrations throughout the month of December are about honoring this unique value as a collective, reflecting on how we give back, and making a difference to the communities where we live, however small it may seem. So, let’s take a look at what we got up to.

Australia

In lieu of their annual Secret Santa our teams in AUS teams helped those in need celebrate this holiday season. They purchased Christmas gifts for children via Barnardos - Gifts for Kids and Christmas family hampers through Salvos - Christmas Hampers. 

Barnardos Gifts for Kids invites schools, companies, community groups and individuals to help us in our goal of bringing a smile to the face of each child and young person in our care by donating cash, gift cards and toys. The Salvation Army's Christmas Hampers provide struggling families a beautiful hamper filled with the treats and staples they’re wishing for this Christmas.

Bulgaria 

In BG, over the course of a week, there were several ways to give back and live our We Are Human Value.

First, the team had the medical staff of the Transfusion and Hematology center join them in the office for a blood donation. 

Then they welcomed our CEO Nick Burns to the office with a bake-off for a cause. Employees prepared many delicious sweet and salty treats, and collected donations as a fundraiser for the Red Cross. 

Next, some visited and played with the puppies at the Municipal shelter for homeless dogs 'Friends Forever' which takes care of nearly 200 dogs rescued from the streets. 

In addition, our BG team continued the RG tradition of organizing workshops for all colleagues and their children with deft hands and warm hearts. The funds raised from the sale of the workshop items bought teaching aids for drawing and painting, as well as geography atlases and over 20 children’s books for accommodation centers for children in the city of Plovdiv.

Finally, over BGN 1,600 was collected for people suffering from the devastating flood in the Karlovo municipality earlier this year. The team was able to purchase 40 sets of food for the Christmas tables of elderly people and families displaced by the floods. 

UK

On December 1st, World Aids Day, the UK team held the Red Goodwill Gala at The Little Scarlet Door, in Soho. This was an opportunity for the whole UK team to get together, connect and socialize whilst raising money for the National Aids Trust. 

The easiest way to donate was to ‘rock the ribbon’ by purchasing a World Aids Day Red ribbon from the TCR office or at our Gala venue on the night. The red ribbon is the universal symbol of awareness and support for people living with HIV.  

They also ran a Red Ribbon Raffle with some awesome Red prizes. The team collectively donated a whooping £1116.00, the figure was matched by Doug Butler, and we had an additional £500 contribution from our We Are Human Week charity pot. The total donation was £2732.00!  👏

USA

For the second year, the full US team did an incredible job of organising a team collection (and delivery) of Christmas gifts for families in Boston and Rochester. The team identified two families in need of a bit of extra support through the ‘adopt-a-family program’, and were sent two wish lists of gifts that were fully fulfilled in time for the festive period. The final donation saw car-loads of fully wrapped presents being sent to their respective destinations. 

The Roc Team also spent a day volunteering with Foodlink- a Rochester-based nonprofit dedicated to ending hunger and building healthier communities by addressing both the symptoms and root causes of food insecurity. They serve as the hub of the emergency food system across the area.

A huge thank you goes out to everyone who took part in an activity or event and of course, to those people who organized. You are all RG heroes!

If you want to learn more about our values and how We Are Human, visit rg.co/careers.